Watchmaker&#39;s caliper



Oct. 14, 1947.

E. SCARDACCIONE 2,429,139 WATCHMAKERS CALIPERS Filed Jan. 25, 1945INVENTOR. l'clward/ Jcardaccime simplified.

Patented Oct. 14, 1947 N D STATES PATENT ost-m; 2,429,139 a i Edwardseardaeeitne, Staten Island, n. ir ts sig er jttji'ammel, Ri lander &co. inc, New York, N. Y a ctrptration'ef New York Application January23, 1945. seriai Ne. {574.098

1 Claim.

This invention relates toe tool for watchmak- I ers, and has for itsobject the provision of a tool of relatively-simple, yet sturdy,construction which has a multitude of uses in the hands of the skilledwatchmaken; The-tool contemplates the provision of means bywhich balancestaffs may be measured, balance wheels may be trued. and balanced orpoised, and various other watchmaking and repair activities greatlyaidedand More particularlythe invention contemplates the provision of aframe having adjustable elements between which a balance wheel mayrotatively supportedv to determine .its accuracy and balance; means bywhich various measurements required in watchmaking may be taken by thewatch maker; it further contemplates the provision of a supportingdevice by which the tool may be held in a plurality of positions togreatly facilitate the operations of determining the accuracy andbalance of a wheel and its staff; and it enables the watchmaker tosimplify and speed up his work with a minimum of effort and to. dispensewith a plurality of tools nowemployed in doing the work readilyperformedby the improved tool.

Other objects are accomplished by the inven= t'ion hereinafter describedand pointed out in the claim appended hereto.

V in the accompanying drawing wherein an embodiment of the invention'lsisclosedz Fig. '1 is aside elevation of a tool constructed in accordancewith the invention;-

Fig. 2 is a sectional view entire line 2 -2 of Fig. 1, looking in thedirection of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the tool shown supported in its base orholder in a horizontal position, and as used when determining thebalance of a Watch balance wheel; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, looking in thedirection of the arrows,

The improved watchmakers tool is of the combination type. That is tosay, it may be used as a measuring instrument or calipers, for ascer- 45taining the length of a balance staff, for example, and for numerousother measuring purposes; it may be used as a poising tool for truingand balancing the balance wheels of watch movements,

and for many additional watch-making purposes. 50

In the embodiment shown, the tool includes a frame I of substantiallyC-shape and thus in tegrally provided with the two arms or jaw portions2 and 3. The arm 3 is provided with a threaded passage to threadablyreceive the 55 it contemplates the provision of threaded lpin' H, and itis slottedat ZB t -enaIole a relatively slight amount of pressure orfriction to be vimposed'on the threads of thepinl I; caus ing'the pin toholdanyset position of adjustment. The pin H is formed with a reducedend portion [2, having a conical seat in its end for engagementwith theend of a balance wheel stafi;

The arm 2 of the framel is divided toferm two spaced lug portionsorguides 4 and 5. which are each provided with a passage to permit thesliding movement of a stem -6 having a; reduced part or tip 1.,- havinga, seat inits end for'the reception of the end of a balance wheelstaff,- so

the proper distance apart. the balance wheeL'indicated at 33 in Fig.- 8,may beheld-between them and rotated freely to enable it to be poised.

Guide lugs 4 and 5'of the farms 2 are split, as indicated at 10 in Fig.2, so that they may be arranged to" engage the stem-6 with aidesired'd'e= gree of friction to enablethe pin to be moved aidally throughthese lugs, but maintained at any set position therethroughtby thefrictional contact between the stem fi'and'the passagesiii the lugsthrough which the stem-is sli'dable; re 'a'cilita'te the frictionalcontact between the'lugs 'tjl i s'tni slots s are also provided in theans adjacent the lugs; Surrounding the body f the stem *6 tetweentnetwemesh and tiisasp' V c an a which the stern wi sufficient tightnesstoenabie 'itto hel'd any pcsiti n thereon in which it in y bepl'aoed,"yet to be ca title of being ually moved entire stem to set asa stoptrgeese member; as will be presently explained. Assuming that the deviceis to be used as a callper or measuring device for ascertaining thelength of a balance wheel stafi, or the like, one end of the staff isplaced against the seat in stem 6 until it comes into contact with thelug 5. Then, stem 6 may be raised to release the balance staff, and whenthe stem 6 is slid downwardly (as viewed in Fig. 1) until the collar 8again abuts against the lug 5, the spacing then between the ends of thetips 1 and l I will indicate the length of the balance stair that hasbeen measured. In other words, by setting the collar in position againstthe lug 5 and allowing the collar to remain in that position, anindication of the spacing between the tips 7 and I 2 can be repeatedlyhad as long as the collar is not manually shifted. The col- At 14 isshown a pair of spaced ears formed on,

the frame I, said ears being connected by a pin IS on which a feeler orgauge finger I6 is mounted for both pivotal and longitudinal setting.The gauge finger pointed end l8, the latter being directed toward thepin I I and stem 6 within the frame, so that it may be positioned at theproper location relative I6 has an elongated slot l'l anda to a balancewheel rotatively held between the tips 1 and 12, to act as a gauge toascertain whether the wheel and the staff aretrue. The pin l5 extendsthrough the slot l in thefinger 15 so that the pointed end iii of; thefinger may be moved to any extent required, to or from a balance wheelheld between the tips I and I2. The finger I6 is also pivotally mountedon the pin l5, and to allow of such pivotal movement; the frame I isinternally slotted as indicated at 19 in Fig. 1. A plate spring 31)located between the ears [4 (Fig. 2) is urged against a face'of thefinger l6, and holds the opposite face of the finger [6 against a washer29 on the pin l5, thereby setting up sufiicient friction to cause thefinger to retain any osition in which it may be placed by the user ofthe tool. I

To support the tool in variousdesired positions while being used, asupporting stand is employed. The same consists of'a standard or upright25 rising from a base 26 formed with divergent arms '21 enabling it torest firmly upon a table or work-'- bench. The standard is hollow, andterminates in a ball-shaped head 22 which has a vertically- .extendingaperture 23 into .which a rod portion 2| extending from an integralarmportion of the frame I, extends when it is desired to hold the irarne lin a vertical positio ,as shown in Fig.1, as when poising a balancewheel. The head;22 is also provided with a transverse passage 25 throughwhich the rod}! may be thrust, as in- (heated in Fig. 3, when it isdesired to support the frame I in a horizontal position, or at a timewhen a balance wheel is being balanced. The ballshaped head. 22 may besplit or slotted to divide it into segments which can be forced towardone another, so that the rod 2! will be frictionally beput by a 4gripped between them and firmly held in whichever of the two positionsit is inserted.

When the tool is in the position shown in Fig. 1, a balance wheel may beplaced between the two supports 6 and H and rotated, while the gaugefinger determines its trueness and the trueness of the stall. When thetool is in the position of Fig. 3, the balance of a balance wheelsupported by it can be readily determined. When the tool is out of thebase or support, it can be used as a caliper or other measuring device,as previously explained.

While an effort has been made to herein set forth several of the uses towhich the tool may watchmaker, it will be found to have many uses notherein set forth, and which will readily suggest themselves to thewatchmaker confronted with the various repair problems of his trade.What I claim is:

' In a watchmakers tool, a C-shaped frame having an arm, a threaded stemadjustable through the arm, the frame havin a second arm portionprovided with spaced ends, the juncture of the body of said second armwith each of said ends being slotted whereby each end can be adjusted asto angularity relative to itscompanion, each of the spaced ends having aslotted bore, a stem slidable through said slotted'bores andfrictionally adjustable therethrough to or from the threaded stem, and asplit collar slidably adjustable on the slidable 'stem' between the endsof the'second arm portion, said collar being confined between said endsand adapted for abutment against either of the spaced ends of the secondarm to thereby determine the extent of projection of said slidable stemout of the arm in a direction toward or away from the first stem.

EDWARD SCARDACCION'E,

REFERENCE CITED The following referencesjare of record in the file ofthis patent:

1,393,746 Bushnell Oct. 18, 1921

